Cable hanger



Jan. 3, 1967 A. NOIRCLERC 3,295,804

CABLE HANGER Filed Nov. 10, 1965 I M/DRE A/O R CLERC kem United States Patent 3,295,804 CABLE HANGER Andr Noirclerc, Versailles, France, assignor to Societe Industrielie dc Liaisons Electriques, Paris, France Filed Nov. 10, 1955, Scr. No. 507,107 8 Claims. (Cl. 2486i)) This invention relates to hangers for electrical conductors, such as overhead cables, and particularly to a hanger which tightens its grip on a cable in response to longitudinal tension in the cable.

It is known to provide such hangers with a conical tubular shell carrying a hook or the like for attachment to a pole or other support and with an expandable core Whose outer conical wall is adapted conformingly to engage the inner wall of the shell, and which has an approximately cylindrical inner wall enclosing an axial passage through the core. When a cable or similar object of suitable dimensions is received in the passage of the core, the core is inserted in the shell in engagement of its outer wall with the inner conical surface of the shell, and when axial tension is applied to the cable in the common direction of taper of the shell and of the core, the core is tightened about the cable.

An object of the invention is the provision of a hanger of the general type described which consists of only a minimum number of separate parts prior to assembly with the cable to be fastened.

A more specific object is the provision of a cable hanger which has but two parts that need be assembled with a cable prior to hanging of the latter.

Another object is the provision of a hanger which can be mass produced at low cost, yet is sturdy and reliable.

A further object is the provision of a cable hanger which can be assembled without tools and in a very simple manner.

With these and other objects in View, the invention, in its more specific aspects, contemplates the use of a strap member whose two elongated end portions are pivotally joined to an approximately V-shaped middle portion by respective pivots which have a common axis. Uniformly spaced key-hole shaped openings are arranged in each end portion. A tubular frusto-conical shell is split into two halves in an axial plane, and the two edge portions of each half carry rows of hooks whose spacing equals that of the afore-mentioned openings, and whose points or free ends are directed toward the smaller base of the shell. The first and last member of each row is a plain lug, and the four lugs on two adjacent edge portions are bent in such a manner that they may jointly pass through a corresponding opening in one end portion of the strap member when the other two edge portions are remote from each other, While the free terminal parts are spaced apart in a circumferential direction when said other two edge portions are closely adjacent each other.

A frusto-conical core member is received in the frustoconical shell in the normal operative position of the hanger. The core member consists of several segments which define axial slots therebetween and are connected by an annular washer at the larger base of the core member, the washer being radially split so that the core member may be opened up for radial access to the passage thereth-rough whose wall is approximately cylindrical in the relaxed condition of the core member.

Other features, additional objects and many of the advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered with the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows the two parts of a cable hanger of the invention in the disassembled condition in a perspective view;

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FIG. 2 is an axial end view of the hanger in the fully assembled condition taken in the direction of the arrow II;

FIG. 3 illustrates the frusto-conical core of the hanger with a cable received therein shown in section, the view being in the direction of the core axis toward the larger base thereof, as indicated by arrow III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the hanger of FIG. 1 on a larger scale; and

FIG. 5 shows the strap and shell of the hanger in the open position of the latter, the view corresponding to that of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, there is seen a hanger whose strap 2 has an approximately V-shaped middle portion 26. The legs of the strap portion 16 have the end portions ll, 12 of the strap attached thereto by means of rivets or pivot pins 13, 14 whose axes coincide.

As better seen in FIG. 4, each end portion 11, 12 is an elongated channel whose narrow flange is connected by a web 1817. Eight identical elongate-d openings 18 in each web 1812 are uniformly spaced over the length of each end portion l1, 12. The openings 18 are approximately keyhole-shaped, their wider longitudinal ends 18a being nearer the middle portion 16.

A frusto-conical shell, split into two halves 3, 4 along an axial plane, is attached to the end portion 11 of the strap 2, and provided with fastenings for attachment to the end portion 12. Each of the axial edges of each shell half 3, t carries a row of six books 7, and of two straight lugs 34. The books and lugs on the shell half 3 are ci-rcumferen-tially aligned with corresponding hooks and lugs on the shell half 4. The books are the terminal members in each row.

The hooks 7 and lugs 34 on one pair of edges pass through corresponding openings 18 in the end portion 11, two books 7 or two lugs 34- being received in the same opening 18. The points or free ends of the hooks '7 are directed away from the middle portion 16, and axial movement of the shell 3, 4 in that direction causes the inserted books 7 and lugs 34 to move from the wider part 18a of the associated opening It; into the narrow part.

The lugs 34' are bent relative to the circumferentially contiguous parts of the corresponding shell halves 3, 4 at an angle of somewhat less than as is best seen in FIG. 2, thereby securing the shell halves to the end portion it for pivotal movement between the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 respectively. When the other paired edges are contiguously adjacent each other, as shown in FIG. 2, the terminal free portions of the lugs 34 are circumferentially spaced from each other.

The lugs 34 and the hooks 7 in the rows on the edges of the shell halves 3, 4 near the end portion 12 of the strap 2 are aligned in common axial planes.

Prior to assembly with a cable, the strap 2 with the hingedly attached half shells 3, 4 thus constitute one part of the two-part hanger, and the other part is a core 5 of resilient plastic which normally has an outer frustoconical Wall and an inner, approximately cylindrical wall 32 which bounds an axial passage through the core.

The core is split in two axial planes perpendicular to each other into four segments 21, 22, 2.3, 24 which are fastened to each other by an annular disc or washer 25 of pliable plastic attached to the four segments at the larger base of the conical core 5 by screws 26. A radial slot 28 splits the washer 25 and is aligned with the slot between the segments 21 and 24, thereby giving radial access to the axial passage through the core.

A slot 31 extends axially from the smaller base of the core 5 into each segment 21, 22, 23, 24 almost to the larger base, and further facilitates radial expansion or contraction of the core.

In hanging a cable from a pole or other support, the core is opened by spreading the segments 21, 24- apart, as seen in FIG. 3, and by radially slipping the cable 1 into the central passage of the core. The two shell halves 3, 4 are moved apart on their hinges provided by the lugs 34 as shown in FIG. 5, and the middle portion 16 and end portion 12 of the strap 2 may be swung away to facilitate insertion of the cable 1 between the Spaced edges of the shell halves in such a manner that the core 5 is spaced from the shell 3, i in the direction of the arrow II in FIG. 1.

The shell halves 3, 4 are then pivoted toward each other until their previously separated edges are abuttingly engaged and each hook '7 and lug 34 is precisely aligned with a corresponding hook or lug on the other edge. It is then quite easy to swing the end portion 12 into a position in which the wide parts 18a of the several openings 18 are radially aligned with the paired hooks 7 and lugs 34, and simultaneously receives the associated hooks or lugs. A slight axial movement of the end portion 12 and of the shell 3, 4 relative to each other causes the hooks 7 and the lugs 34 to be shifted into the narrow portions of the openings 18.

The cable 1 is next run axially through the shell 3, 4 until the core 5 enters the latter from its wide end and ultimately conformin gly abuts against the inner conical surface of the shell. Any further axial movement of the cable 1 causes the core to be tightened about the cable, and prevents slippage between cable and core, the core being held by the shell.

The strap 2 may be hung from a hook or the like on a pole at any convenient stage of the afore-described assembly operation which is readily performed by a worker perched on a pole or in a similar position where his freedom of movement is limited. The chances of dropping a part of the hanger during the assembly operation are remote, and the operation is so simple that it does not require tools nor particular dexterity.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates only to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the invention herein chosen for the pur pose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hanger for a cable and the like, comprising, in combination:

(a) a strap member having two elongated end portions;

(b) a tubular shell having an axis and conically tapering in the direction of said axis,

(1) said shell being formed with an axial slot therethrough and having two axially elongated edge portions on either side of said slot;

(c) a radially expandable hollow core member having an axis, an outer frusto-conical wall about said axis thereof adapted to be conformingly received in said shell and an inner approximately cylindrical wall defining an axial passage through said core member;

(d) a plurality of axially spaced fastening means for fastening respective longitudinal parts of one of said end portions to corresponding parts of each of said edge portions in response to axial movement of said shell relative to said one end portion in the direction of taper of said shell; and

(e) securing means for securing said shell to the other end portion of said strap member.

2. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein said core m mber i c udes a plurality f s gme ts defining axial slots therebetween, said slots extending from said inner to said outer wall, and an annular washer member of pliable material connecting said segments at the larger base of said frusto-conical wall, said washer member being radially split in alignment with one of said axial slots between said segments.

3. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein said one end portion is formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings therein, and said fastening means include a plurality of hook members on each of said edge portions, said hook members being spaced for simultaneous engagements with said openings, each hook member having a free end directed axially toward the smaller base of said frusto-conical wall.

4. A hanger as set forth in claim 3, wherein said openings are approximately keyhole-shaped, each opening being elongated in the direction of elongation of said one end portion, and having a wider part remote from said smaller base, and a narrower part near said smaller base.

5. A hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein said securing means include hinge means, said shell being formed with a second axial slot dividing the same into two half shells, said hinge means securing said half shells to said other end portion of the strap member for movement of said edge portions toward and away from each other.

6. A hanger as set forth in claim 5, wherein said hinge means include two axially spaced lugs on each of said half shells adjacent said second axial slot, said second end portion being formed with two longitudinally spaced openings therein, one lug extending from each of said half shells through each of the openings in said second end portion and having a free terminal part circumferentially spaced from the terminal part of the other lug passing through the same opening when said edge portions are contiguously adjacent each other.

7. A hanger as set forth in claim 6, wherein said strap member has an approximately V-shaped middle portion having two legs, and pivot means securing said end portions respectively to said legs for pivoting movement about a common axis.

8. A hanger as set forth in claim 7, wherein said core member includes a plurality of segments defining axial slots therebetween, and an annular washer member of pliable material connecting said segments at the larger base of said frusto-conical wall, said washer member being radially split in alignment with one of said axial slots between said segments; said one end portion is a channel having a web and two flanges and formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings in said web, each opening being elongated in the direction of elongation of said one end portion, and having a wider part nearer said larger base and a narrower part remote from said larger base; and said fastening means include a plurality of hook members on each of said edge portions, said hook members being spaced for simultaneous engagement of one hook member on each edge portion with each of said openings, each hook member having a free end directed axially toward the smaller base of said frustoconical wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,681,781 6/1954 Kellems 248- 3,216,682 11/1965 Lewis 2486O CLAUDE A, LE ROY, Primary Examiner, 

1. A HANGER FOR A CABLE AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A STRAP MEMBER HAVING TWO ELONGATED END PORTIONS; (B) A TUBULAR SHELL HAVING AN AXIS AND CONICALLY TAPERING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID AXIS, (1) SAID SHELL BEING FORMED WITH AN AXIAL SLOT THERETHROUGH AND HAVING TWO AXIALLY ELONGATED EDGE PORTIONS ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID SLOT; (C) A RADIALLY EXPANDABLE HOLLOW CORE MEMBER HAVING AN AXIS, AN OUTER FRUSTO-CONICAL WALL ABOUT SAID AXIS THEREOF ADAPTED TO BE CONFORMINGLY RECEIVED IN SAID SHELL AND AN INNER APPROXIMATELY CYLINDRICAL WALL DEFINING AN AXIAL PASSAGE THROUGH SAID CORE MEMBER; (D) A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SPACED FASTENING MEANS FOR FASTENING RESPECTIVE LONGITUDINAL PARTS OF ONE OF SAID END PORTIONS TO CORRESPONDING PARTS OF EACH OF SAID EDGE PORTIONS IN RESPONSE TO AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHELL RELATIVE TO SAID ONE END PORTION IN THE DIRECTION OF TAPER OF SAID SHELL; AND (E) SECURING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID SHELL TO THE OTHER END PORTION OF SAID STRAP MEMBER. 